Russia Demands Major Concessions from Ukraine in Peace Talks, Kyiv Holds Firm

In a tense and brief round of peace negotiations held in Istanbul on Monday, Russia presented Ukraine with a memorandum demanding sweeping territorial concessions and strict limitations on its military as conditions to end the ongoing war.

The proposal, reported by Russian media, underscores Moscow’s persistent refusal to compromise on its core war aims despite international appeals—including from U.S. President Donald Trump—to bring the conflict to a close.

According to the memorandum, Russia insists that Ukraine must formally cede Crimea—annexed by Moscow in 2014—and four additional regions currently under partial or full Russian occupation. Kyiv would be required to withdraw all military forces from these areas and accept their annexation by Russia.

Further demands include Ukraine adopting a neutral status, which would eliminate the possibility of NATO membership.

Moscow also calls for the protection of Russian-speaking populations, the recognition of Russian as an official language, and a legal prohibition against what it describes as the “glorification of Nazism”—a claim Kyiv has consistently rejected as baseless and propagandistic.

The meeting between delegations was only the second of its kind since March 2022 and lasted less than an hour. Despite the lack of a breakthrough on a ceasefire, the parties did agree on further prisoner exchanges—particularly focusing on young and severely wounded soldiers—and the return of the remains of some 12,000 fallen troops.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who led Kyiv’s delegation, confirmed receipt of the Russian proposal but offered no immediate comment.

He reiterated that Ukraine would review the document and emphasized that a direct meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin would be essential for resolving the core issues.

President Zelenskyy also raised the issue of Ukrainian children allegedly abducted and relocated to Russia during the war. Of the 400 names submitted by Ukraine, Russian negotiators reportedly agreed to discuss the return of only 10. Moscow claims the children were relocated for their safety.

Russia outlined two potential pathways to a ceasefire—both widely viewed by Kyiv as unacceptable. The first involves Ukraine’s full military withdrawal from the contested regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

The second proposes a halt to foreign military aid to Ukraine, suspension of satellite intelligence sharing, the lifting of martial law, and holding new national elections within 100 days.

Russian delegation leader Vladimir Medinsky floated the idea of a short, localized ceasefire—lasting two to three days—to allow for the retrieval of fallen soldiers. While this humanitarian gesture was noted, it fell far short of Ukraine’s demand for a broader ceasefire and the foundation of a long-term peace agreement.

Ukraine’s own peace roadmap—seen by Reuters—rejects any recognition of Russia’s territorial claims, demands unrestricted sovereignty over its armed forces, and calls for reparations from Moscow.

Despite Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s hope of brokering a direct summit between Putin and Zelenskyy, with Trump as mediator, the gap between the two sides remains vast. With no signs of mutual compromise, the path to peace continues to be fraught with obstacles, while the war grinds on.